Author(s)

Inara Watson, Amer Ali & Ali Bayyati

Abstract

There has been an encouraging awareness of the need for more sustainable transportation particularly for freight transport that has resulted from the continuing increases in global trade and business inter- nationalisation. This is mainly driven by the related issues concerning greenhouse gas emissions and dependency on fossil fuel. The expansion in the worldwide high-speed railway (HSR) systems has provided a reliable opportunity for freight transportation. The HSR has the ability to move goods in a more efficient, safe and cost-effective way, which can improve trade links in Europe and the rest of the world. Many countries have developed HSR systems, but such systems are mostly used for passenger transport despite their haulage capacity. This research investigates the future possibility of shifting freight from airlines onto HSR, by analysing the operational and technical constraints associated with freight traffic. Most of the data were gathered from online sources and related research publications concerning a selected set of worldwide HSR systems. The outcome of this research may contribute to the development of suitable solutions that may improve the economic, environmental and social sus- tainability of transport systems.

Keywords

freight transport, high-speed railways, sustainability